Music At The Corner Of Love And Multifacetedness
by Carlo Santos
Summary: A pair of verses and a reunion lead to a history-making musical set that explores the multifacetedness of humans and what it's like to have love. MC/Rise songfic series featuring the music of OutKast, with some Kanye West and original music also present.
1. Call: Homecoming, Rise's Verse

_**Opening Author's Notes  
**__I have to say the Persona series is one of the craziest (in a good way) game series I've ever played, so it was only a matter of time before I took a shot at a Persona fanfic. I have to confess I'm a Rise fan and don't think we write enough music into stories involving her, so I'm taking a shot at tackling that and making each chapter a songfic. Hope you guys enjoy!_

_**Warning  
**__**Spoilers for some game events**_

**Disclaimer  
**I only own the scenario. The Persona and Shin Megami Tensei series belong to Atlus.  


* * *

On a brilliant Sunday in late April in the Japanese countryside town of Yasoinaba, also known as Inaba, 17-year-old Yosuke Hanamura had just finished up his shift at the local Junes and was heading out for some time alone. Life could hardly be any better for him—he had a loyal girlfriend and a good batch of close friends, his grades were improving, and he had just gotten a very good raise.  
As he walked through the Central Shopping District, he saw a poster showing a teenage girl with a fair figure, brown eyes, a pretty face and slightly wavy copper-red hair done in a pair of pigtails that hung past her shoulders. It read,

_Don't miss Rise Kujikawa and company at the Shiba Park Jam on May 4th!  
Shiba Park, Minato, Tokyo—1500 Yen at the park entrance_

_That's our girl,_ Yosuke thought with a smile as he continued walking.  
Rise Kujikawa, the 16-year-old from Inaba with the voice and looks of an angel, had returned from a year-long sojourn back home and had been making what so far had been the most successful comeback in Japanese music history—even bigger, many said, than Mariah Carey's comeback with The Emancipation Of Mimi in 2005. She had been doing acting, modeling, commercials—including one for Junes, which meant Yosuke had been very busy on the job lately—and most importantly, new music. She had just put out a verse on iTunes over the hit Homecoming that she said dealt with something that happened during her hiatus, and Yosuke had eagerly been awaiting the end of his shift both as a fan and a good friend of hers so that he could listen to it and figure out what she was talking about.  
As he slipped his ever-present headphones on, looked up the song on his iPod and hit the play button, he heard the music start up and a man's voice sing,

_Do you think about me now and then?  
Do you think about me now and then?  
'__Cause I'm comin' home again  
Man, home again_

Rise's voice then started to sing. Her voice seemed especially emotionally laden, and it didn't take long for Yosuke to find out why.

_I knew a boy strong as could be  
But always had time for me  
So, baby, let me take time for you  
'Cause heaven knows I need it too_

As he took in that quartet, Yosuke suddenly stopped dead on the sidewalk.  
_Oh, my God…it's a dedication to him!_ He thought, stunned. He put his hands over his headphones, holding them closer to his ears slightly and listening closely.

_When I thought I lost it all, I learned I had you  
Now they say I've got it back, but it's not all true  
Boy, don't you know I still love you so?  
When we cuddled, I never wanted to let go_

Yosuke smiled wistfully as he heard the sincere emotion in Rise's voice, remembering a conversation he'd had with the boy Rise was talking about.  
_"Hey, I thought I saw you heading towards your house with Rise yesterday after school. Did you guys go to your room?" Yosuke had asked with a roguish grin.  
"__Yes, she was over in my room yesterday." He had said with a small smile, nodding before adding, "I understand my head might be in the gutter if it had been you instead of me, but it wasn't like that."  
"Really?" Yosuke said. "Man…you really are the type of guy she needs! Just about every other guy I know would jump her, force her onto the futon and try and get in her pants, and all you did was—"  
"Cuddle." He said. "Her word, not mine—though it is pretty accurate." He was wearing a sheepish grin by then and was also slightly red, but he managed to add, "It was actually her idea, not mine, for us to go to my room."  
"Wow…she really does trust her heart with you, doesn't she?" Yosuke asked, awestruck.  
"Yeah." He had answered fervently. "And I don't want to let her down if I can help it."_

_And I also know you never wanted to  
But you had to come home—that I knew  
So I hope you're happy, living rich and free  
And that you've found a girl better than me  
But anytime you feel ruled by fear  
Just know I'll always be here  
Please remember my home's your home  
Anytime you think you're alone_

The man's voice from earlier then came back in and finished,

_Do you think about me now and then?  
Do you think about me now and then?  
'__Cause I'm comin' home again  
Man, home again  
Do you think about me now and then?  
Do you think about me now and then?  
Oh, now I'm comin' home again  
Maybe we can start again_

As the song finished, Yosuke not only felt shaken but also guilty as if he had something that didn't belong to him.  
_Wow…I'll always be thankful I have Chie, but he and Rise definitely deserved better…_He thought fervently.

A few paces away, he heard a pair of girls talking about the song.  
"Did you hear Rise's new song using that Kanye West track?" One asked eagerly.  
"Yeah. She's really come back like she's got something to prove! The way she did Homecoming was so sad…but so beautiful!" The other girl said, before asking in return, "You don't think that actually happened, do you?"  
"I tell you, judging from the way she sounded, I wouldn't be surprised at all if that was real." The first girl replied earnestly. "Poor girl…to think it might have actually happened right here in Inaba!"  
_Yeah, poor girl…and for that matter, poor guy! They don't know the half of it…_ He thought. _How could I or anyone else forget what the two of them had been like? Among a whole bunch of incredible bonds that were forged that year, theirs was the strongest…  
_He suddenly thought about how the aforementioned boyfriend—who was also his best friend—was reacting to it, and it was the work of three seconds to pull out his cell phone, dial his friend's cell number and hit the call button.  
250 miles away, in Minato in central Tokyo, a cell phone rang.

* * *

_**Closing Author's Notes  
**__Rise's Homecoming verse is indeed original. I tried to write it from her point of view—I hope I didn't disappoint! One thing you guys ought to know—the MC here is not Souji. That said, who do you think it is and what do you guys think the response in the next chapter is going to be? Please read and review, but don't flame me because you're not a Rise fan. Homecoming is the one Kanye song that's in here—the OutKast part comes later._


	2. Response: Homecoming, Carlo's Verse

_**Opening Author's Notes  
**Thanks to those who have reviewed so far! I also normally don't double-post, but I'm also posting this story to the (Shin) Megami Tensei category so that this story gets to any Persona fans visiting the site for sure. Now time for that response…rap, anyone?  
_

_**Warning  
****True Ending spoilers**  


* * *

_

I knew what Yosuke had been thinking and doing because of two things. First, he was and is my best friend, meaning we talked about it not too long afterward, and second, the phone belonged to me.  
At the time, I was a Filipino-American 15-year-old senior at the American School in Japan (ASIJ for short) in Chofu, Tokyo. I was born on the Upper West Side in New York and raised through kindergarten in North Carolina (first Durham and then Greensboro) before my parents' medical careers took them to Tokyo and I set ASIJ's elementary school ablaze, going into 3rd grade as a six-year-old (Author's Note: I really was that young when I entered 3rd grade!) and proving myself an honor roll student despite my youth.

Even though I spent an extra year in 5th grade to get used to a full honors curriculum after graduating elementary, I was still a year younger than the class average, but I didn't let it show as I balanced basketball, leadership training and tearing it up in the classroom through 10th grade, at the end of which I learned that my parents had been asked to come back to the Philippines for a year to help with a slew of new and existing hospitals.  
Neither my parents nor I felt comfortable with the prospect of me living alone in Tokyo for a whole year at the age of fourteen, so I had spent that year with my uncle Ryotaro and my cousin Nanako in Inaba and had transferred for the year as well to Yasogami High. I hadn't been apprehensive about moving from the city to a more rural/suburban area—I felt comfortable there thanks to my mother's upbringing in Pampanga and also the bit of time I had spent in Greensboro—but I definitely had felt apprehensive about being an American student at a real Japanese school for the first time. Thankfully, I managed to handle it well to say the least, as tons of things happened to me over there to say the least—I became a better person and friend, a terrific actor, an even better guard and small forward, even more of an academic luminary and a better leader, labeling some in town to call me a legend (which turned my face beet red) before I returned home.

Incredibly, even that didn't tell the whole story, as I had three huge secrets from my time in Inaba. First, I had discovered my powers as a Persona-user and found that I was different even there because I could call on multiple manifestations of my inner self in a fight or some other tight spot thanks to the Fool Arcana. Second, I had become someone who had defeated a goddess, as I had helped defeat the goddess Izanami in order to solve the Inaba serial kidnapping and murder case (although no one knew it except me, my friends and a select few others.) The third and last was that I had done what at least half the red-blooded teenage boys in Japan wanted to do—have Rise Kujikawa as a steady girlfriend.

With my parents' return and Izanami's defeat, however, I had had to return to Tokyo and to ASIJ and had been starting AP classes as well as preparations for the SAT, as I planned to return Stateside for college. I was glad to be home and back with my parents and old friends and had been doing well both in the classroom and out, but I had felt like I was faking it when I tried to be happy as I tried to bury my feelings for Rise with the thought that God would have made me come back to Tokyo only if he had a better girl for me. Just over a month after coming back, though, I had not succeeded, and hearing Rise's verse using Homecoming after downloading it from iTunes let me know I just couldn't do it—not when I heard her singing with such emotion and felt a massive stab in my heart as I realized she'd been talking both about me and to me.

"Hey, Carlo, did you hear Rise's new song?" Yosuke said, once I'd answered the phone in my room in our condo in Minato.  
"I'm listening to it right now." I replied, my voice betraying how stunned I was. "I can't believe it…I thought she'd be over me a month later."  
"I'm sorry this is coming up like this, but I'm also really happy for you, man…she really is a special girl—no, make that a special **woman**." Yosuke said sympathetically but also, I imagined, with a smile.  
I smiled, nodded and took a moment, then heard a note of fondness come back into my voice. "That's Rise…even in a situation like this, her love amazes me."  
Yosuke laughed on the other end of the line. "I tell you, even though you aren't together officially at the moment, I gotta say Chie and I look up to you guys—and my guess is Yukiko and Kanji do as well."  
"Thanks." I replied.

"I was also wondering…was there a line that really jumped out at you?" Yosuke asked.  
"Yeah. It was 'and that you've found a girl better than me'. I was like, 'My God, Rise, thanks…but I should have known that if God meant to have a better girl than you for me, I'd be with her right now!'" My voice conveyed my gratitude towards her, but also the hint of self-loathing that had hit me at that realization.  
"What's important is that you do know now." He replied. "Have you figured out how you're going to respond to it?"  
"Not yet—I'm still in shock a bit." I said, realizing what I had to do. "I'm definitely going to have to do my share of thinking to figure out."  
"Just remember—if anyone can figure out how to handle something like this, it's you." Yosuke said encouragingly.  
"Thanks." I said with a smile.

Once the conversation was over, I knew I had spent too much time dodging the issue and couldn't wait another day without having a worthy response ready. This time, though, I felt like I had to talk to someone other than Rise's and my close friends from Inaba about it. I then thought and realized, however, _problem is, though, I don't know how to respond and I don't feel like the time is right to discuss this with family or any of my ASIJ friends, so how can I deal with this?  
A thought then suddenly came to me. __Hey, why not talk with __**them**__?_ The other voice in my head said.  
_I never thought about that…it's worth a try, though._ The first voice replied.

I didn't keep the Persona deck containing my 12 favorite and most important Personae everywhere in case someone happened to know who I really was and stole it, which would leave me very vulnerable indeed. I did and still do always keep one card on me, though, just in case—Titania.  
I pulled the card out of my left pocket and tossed it lightly into the air. It hung in the air, revolved for a few seconds and glowed blue, then appeared to shatter, making a noise like glass breaking. I fell back on the bed with my feet still on the floor, felt something catch me, and recognized that my head was now in the lap of the Persona I had just summoned.  
It made me feel like I was seeing a therapist—only the therapist was a young, beautiful fairy queen just a little smaller than me with golden brown hair, ruby red eyes and a gold-trimmed long-sleeved green dress that showed her legs, making her look both attractive and dignified. I closed my eyes for a moment and sighed, then asked the question that seemingly everyone around me had asked me throughout my year in Inaba.

"What on earth do I do?" I could tell at that moment just how hard I had been hit when I heard how weak my voice was.  
"Oh, Carlo…you really do love her, don't you?" She asked, sounding concerned as she knew my answer.  
"Yeah…" I said fervently. "So much…but I just can't figure out how to respond to this…" It certainly didn't help that the last time Rise had struck me dumb like that had been the last time I had seen her and been with her—when I had been about to board the train that would take me back to Tokyo.

_"N-no more Senpai from t-tomorrow on…" Rise said, her voice cracking in front of us.  
She then broke down completely, sobbing uncontrollably and crying openly.  
The others were visibly stunned. They knew how close Rise and I were and knew as well as we did that our goodbye would be the hardest, but I guess they had still never really expected this. I couldn't blame them, because neither had I.  
"__Hey, quit crying…! It's way too soon for that!" Kanji Tatsumi had said, looking scared—and that's saying something, because it takes a lot to scare him.  
"__But…but…" Rise was unable to speak coherently and dissolved back into sobbing.  
"__Sheesh, th-that stuff's kinda contagious, y'know…" Kanji said, still sounding and looking scared. Then he found a little firmness in his voice and told her, "You gotta put on a good face for Senpai…"  
He and the others looked at me, but I was already moving. I put my backpack down beside my rolling suitcase for the moment, went over to her, and embraced her tightly, allowing her to cry on my shoulder. At first, I was unable to talk as I felt my throat tighten, so I just held her for a while._

_"Rise…" I said when I felt my throat unclench enough. "Rise-chan, can I ask you a couple of favors?"  
"Anything." Rise said, moving her head back enough so that she could look me in the eyes and emphasize what she had said.  
"Thanks. First, please stop calling me 'Senpai', because I'm no longer your senior. Just use my name." I said, smiling wistfully.  
"Okay, Carlo…-kun." She said with the best smile she could muster. Seeing her both smiling and crying and also knowing I might not see her again made me unsure of just how to feel to say the least. After a moment, she added, "You said 'a couple of favors'—is there something else you wanted to ask from me?"  
I took a moment and then replied, "Yes…could I please have one more thing to remember you by?"  
I never said it expressly, but she knew what I my last plea was. Bringing her arms up over my shoulders, she pulled me closer and kissed me.  
I could feel her put everything she had into it, and I responded in kind by funneling all that I could muster into it. I felt my cheeks moisten as her fresh tears met my face, and then I, who had never cried despite everything we had gone through in the past year, felt my resistance fall away and my face get wetter as my tears mingled with them._

_Kanji really had been right when he said that crying was contagious…_I thought sadly.  
"Well, she did take time to make a song to send to you…so why don't you try and reply in kind?" Titania suggested, stroking my hair slightly but soothingly.  
I thought for a moment. Another talent I have is rapping, having gotten hooked on hip-hop as a freshman. My ability to work and feed off a crowd, remember lyrics, and maintain flow had seen me become one of the best karaoke MCs in all of Tokyo—but the operative word was "karaoke", as I, though I had performed well in front of good crowds before, had never before written my own lyrics.  
_Ready to change that?_ One of my inner voices asked.  
_Yes._ I found my other inner voice as firm as could be when it answered.

I looked over at Titania to find her smiling. I smiled back, then rose and looked at my laptop screen.  
_I did always think Kanye's second verse could have used some work…_I thought with a grin. My expression then became serious as I went over, opened a Word document and started trying to put my feelings and my message into 16 bars.  
In my attempts to suppress my pain and try to move on, I had forgotten how love can make people do things they normally wouldn't do. I got a good-sized reminder right then, though, as it was the work of less than two hours to write the verse. Once I had finished I went to a local recording studio where you could pay for time in the booth and put some money down in order to record my verse so that I could memorize it better. The reason for that was that there was a big urban music (mainly hip-hop and R&B) talent show at the ASIJ Ricketson Theater (or RT for short) the next night that I was already going to perform at.

The next evening, I was backstage at a packed RT about to perform. I had already told a friend of mine who was the DJ for the night that I wanted to stop the music after the first verse, but when I started to explain what it was for, he said with a grin, "That's enough, Carlo—I want to be as surprised as the crowd is."  
When my turn came around, I was just offstage as I heard my friend at the turntables introduce me. "Next up is a cat who needs no introduction…"  
Though I could hear the crowd getting excited, I didn't hear everything he said as I focused and thought, _Rise…the last time I was with you, I found out what it looked like to see a heart breaking. If it's within my power to make it up to you tonight, then help me do it!_  
"From Minato, by way of North Carolina and New York City, give it up and welcome back Carlo Santos!"  
As I took the stage and waved to the cheering crowd, Homecoming started to play. When I had written my verse, I knew that since Rise had used the track for her verse, it was the only track I could possibly set my response to. As I heard the familiar piano and bass combination, I closed my eyes and nodded my head to get in the mood and make sure my rhythm was right.  
Another friend onstage started it off with the Chris Martin chorus:

_Do you think about me now and then?  
Do you think about me now and then?  
'__Cause I'm comin' home again  
Man, home again_

I then kicked it off with Kanye's first verse. My delivery and energy were there, but my movements—both in terms of moving around the stage and talking with my free left hand—were more subdued than normal because I wanted to be solemn at first.

_I met this girl when I was three years old  
And what I loved most, she had so much soul  
She said, "Excuse me, little homie, I know you don't know me  
But my name is Wendy and I like to blow trees!"  
And from that point I never blow her off  
Tricks come from out of town, I like to show her off  
They like to act tough, she like to tell 'em off  
And make 'em straighten up they hat 'cause she know they soft_

I could tell I was on track because the crowd was into it, which gave me a little more energy as I finished,

_And when I grew up, she showed me how to go downtown  
And at nighttime my face lit up so astounding  
I told her in my heart is where she always be  
She never mess with entertainers 'cause they always leave  
She said, "It felt like they walked and drove on me  
Knew I was gang-affiliated, got on TV and told on me…"  
I guess it's why last winter, she got so cold on me  
She said, "C, keep makin' that, keep makin' that platinum and gold for me!"_

As I saw them let us hear it again after the verse ended, I stood there for a moment and then went for it, thinking, _It's really go time now…  
_"Wait, wait—cut the music!" I said, motioning with my left hand.  
"What's up?" My friend at the turntables asked as we heard him stop the track as a buzz ran through the crowd.  
I took a moment to gather my strength and then said as I looked at him and at then at the crowd, "I've got to tell you guys about something that happened to me in Inaba. We're gonna finish this song, but we're gonna finish it with my own words."

I could hear gasps, cheers, and more excited chatter from the spectators. My friend the DJ seemed taken aback, as he said, awestruck, "Wow…how much are we talking about here, Carlo?"  
"An original verse." I said, feeling fired up. "How's that sound?"  
"Oh, snap!" He replied, and he turned to the audience and roared, "You heard it, people—an all-new verse, and you're hearing it here first!"  
"Let's get it, people!" I yelled, working the crowd even more.  
"You still got the chorus?" My DJ friend asked our friend who was doing the Chris Martin parts.  
"Just put it back on—we've got this!" He replied brightly.  
I noticed I was decidedly more animated, now actively backing up my friend on the chorus and also moving around better, and I had no doubt it was because I had finally decided to both state and reaffirm my feelings. The chorus started back up,

_Do you think about me now and then? (Yeah)  
Do you think about me now and then?  
'__Cause I'm comin' home again  
Man, home again  
Do you think about me now and then? (Uh)  
Do you think about me now and then? (Come on)  
Oh, now I'm comin' home again  
Maybe we can start again_

Another thing I did before I launched into my own verse was mouth a quick prayer with the mike still clasped between my folded hands.  
_Thanks for giving me the chance to do this, Lord…Rise, help me make you proud!  
_I then heard the chorus coming to an end and said, "Yeah, yeah, look here…"

_Watch me and you know what's wrong with this picture  
I'm home and gettin' dough, but you know that I miss her  
I might tote diamonds, but I'm missin' a pearl  
And even though I know that she's still in this world  
It feels worse than if she was dead and gone  
I once prayed and said, "I know she may not be the one  
But whatever happens, Lord, don't let me let her down!"  
So I try to keep my smile, but I feel like a clown_

I filled those first eight bars with the pain and love I had felt in the past 48 hours and saw the crowd's eyes widen as they heard just what I was saying and how I was saying it.  
I then looked upwards for the next two lines and then met the crowd's eyes for the rest of it as I finished,

_But can I ask you a favor? Girl, shine your light  
Baby, help me make you proud tonight  
'Cause all I have is my heart and this one mic  
But maybe Nas was right when he said that's all one needs to sustain life  
Can see the crowd roaring as I take the stage  
Glad they're feelin' me as I spit them this page  
But you know I'd trade that in a second for  
Just your smile, 'cause I know I'd be whole once more_

I saw the crowd go nuts as I finished, as many were on their feet and cheering. Seeing them, I knew I had done my job.  
_Thank you, Lord…and thank you, Rise…_I thought, feeling as if I had confessed lyrically at Reconciliation and had been forgiven. Meanwhile, the finishing chorus came:

_Do you think about me now and then?  
Do you think about me now and then?  
'__Cause I'm comin' home again  
Man, home again  
Baby, do you remember when?  
Fireworks at Lake Michigan  
Oh, now I'm comin' home again  
Maybe we can start again_

The crowd erupted once more and gave a standing ovation as the music finished, and I felt both glad that we'd given them their money's worth and also like I'd been cleansed of something that had been plaguing me.  
"Yeah…" I said with the energy I had left, managing a smile even though my voice was trailing off. I had enough left in the tank after that to bow to the crowd and slap hands with the two friends who had helped me, but the first thing I did when I got backstage was fall onto a couch. I wasn't about to faint, but I definitely felt emotionally drained for a few moments—although I smiled as I knew that was from the effort I needed to get how I still felt about Rise off my chest.

"Good God, Carlo, that felt so real…was that actually real? Did you actually meet a girl like that that you had to leave when you came back?"  
Some rest backstage and a Coke had helped revitalize me a bit, and I was with a crowd of friends outside who were besieging me about my verse.  
"Yes, it's true." I said, nodding. "I hate to sound disloyal, but I do often wish I was with her instead of here."  
"Hey, dude, it's okay. Normally, yes, I would say, 'What's wrong with you?' But I think we all felt your pain and your love for her up there when you did that verse, so I don't think any of us would've done better in your place." The same friend replied.  
"Thanks." I replied with a grin.  
"You said she actually exists…who is she? Is she alive?" Another friend asked.  
"She's alive…but I can't tell you who she is at the moment." I responded.  
"She's not some slut or ho, though, is she? Can you tell us that much?" A third asked.  
The question quickly reminded me of encountering and facing Rise's sexed-up shadow at Marukyu Striptease, but I just as quickly reminded myself, _It's okay. I know that's a part of her, but it's also not a part of her that rules her._

I was thus able to reply firmly but with a smile, "Oh, no, she's not, don't worry. Far from it."  
"Oh, good, 'cause if she weren't, I know that wouldn't be you, 'cause I know you always said even back then when stuff like this came up that you didn't plan on doing it until you were married." He said, wiping his forehead.  
I nodded before another asked, "She's beautiful, isn't she?"  
I smiled and closed my eyes. Yosuke had once said that idols had a glow about them that other girls didn't have, and while I hadn't just looked at idols, I had to agree. I had liked Rise's slender figure (not in the least her legs, because I will look at a girl's legs over her chest any day of the week) and her hairdo (I have to admit I do like it when a girl puts her hair in pigtails), but the light in her eyes and smile were what really made her attractive, making her positively lovable. That said, though, the look and smile that she often gave me when we were together was something else. It wasn't a smile for a special fan or a smile to cheer up a friend, but the smile that a ride-or-die woman (as we call them) reserved for her special someone, and that was when I found myself thinking, _God darn, you really are beautiful…_

I opened my eyes, still smiling, and said, "Yes, she is beautiful…inside and out." I was lightening up by now as I had started having some fun watching my friends trying to take what hints I was able to give and guess who my girlfriend in Inaba had been.  
"Wow, Carlo…" A friend who hadn't spoken yet said. "She sounds like a wonderful girl!"  
"She sure is." I said, feeling and likely also looking and sounding dreamy. "I sometimes felt like I was out of her league—as a matter of fact, I still sometimes do—but she'd always remind me that I wasn't."  
"I think it's safe to say one thing—she must really be something if she inspired you to do your first original verse and make it that good…" Another said, making all the others nod and express their assent. I just nodded and grinned.

Listening to them for the rest of the conversation, I found it was funny how they knew enough to figure that my girlfriend was cool but still weren't daring to guess that it was Rise. I left them that night outside our condo building in higher spirits than I'd been in since I'd left Inaba, and once I got into my room, my phone went off again.  
I pulled it out of my pocket and smiled as I saw who it was, then answered and said cheerfully, "Hey, what's up, Chie?"

* * *

_**Closing Author's Notes  
**__Yes, that second Homecoming verse is indeed my own! Rest assured, there'll be no love triangles here. I also got the concept of talking to Personae from Yu-Gi-Oh (And yes, so sue me, Titania's my favorite so far! She does have Resist Fire, Invigorate 2, and Bufula in addition to her native skills, so that's based off my gameplay.) The next chapter will feature the start of Rise's set at Shiba Park and also the first OutKast song in the story (Any guesses?) Again, please read and review, but don't flame me just because you're not a Rise fan._


	3. Love: Prototype

_**Opening Author's Notes**  
I have to let you guys know something right now. Just two days ago, I won a big internship that I had applied for—a spot in the Disney College Program. I'm really happy about it because it has been something I've wished for and competed for over the last 3 months or so. I'm going to be busy both with work (both classes and an actual job at Disney World) and play down in Orlando from mid-May to just after New Year's, so my writing will probably slow down, but I definitely don't plan on stopping and I'm happy I'm still able to bring you guys some new stuff with this chapter (Happy Easter, everyone!) Prototype is the main song in this chapter, but Player's Ball and even A Hard Day's Night make cameos.  
There's an error on Rise's age in Chapter 1 that I'll be correcting_—_she's 15 instead of 16 in here_ _(her birthday is June 1st, so she wouldn't be 16 yet in this story)  
_

_**Warning:** Spoilers for Rise's Social Link final scene on the game calendar's last day.  
_

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* * *

_Chie Satonaka's voice came in a squeal over the other end of the line. "You didn't!"  
"I did." I said with a smile, suddenly remembering that the cameramen at the event had told me they were going to post the performance to YouTube as soon as possible. "I had a talk with myself—with Titania, specifically—and decided it was the least I could do." I paused for a moment, then felt my face fell as a thought came to me and as I asked uncomfortably, "Did I do the wrong thing?"  
"No, of course not! It was so awesome—you killed it, Carlo!" She replied, making me grin again. "Yosuke wants me to ask if you have an audio recording of it."  
"I do because I practiced it in a studio, but I can go even better. The cameramen told me they'd send me the raw clip file that was posted to YouTube, and I know how to copy the audio track out of it." I replied, my grin widening.  
"So we get the live version? That's great! I know he'll love it—along with the rest of us. And you can bet that includes Rise." She said fervently. "Oh, hang on—Yukiko wants to talk to you!"

I wore a grin as Yukiko Amagi's voice came in after a brief pause. "Hi, Carlo!"  
"Hey, Yukiko! How are you?" I asked.  
"Great! Chie just showed Kanji and me the video of your performance! When I heard that you were rapping, I got a little tense, but you definitely don't sound like half the rappers on the air these days. I can tell you put a lot of thought into your lines." Yukiko replied.  
"Yeah, I'm not exactly a Soulja Boy, V.I.C. or Flo Rida fan either." I said sincerely and with a hint of anger towards those I had referred to and their ilk. "I pretty much always change the channel or station when their stuff comes on. If I start sounding too much like them, please let me know before I sour things!"  
"I will—if Rise doesn't first. She knows all about not letting the industry rule you, remember?" She replied, referring to the fact that what had caused Rise to take her break was her losing herself amongst all the industry hubbub.  
"Oh, yeah." I said with a quick laugh.  
"Oh, hang on—Kanji-kun wants to talk to you too." Yukiko said, and I heard the phone being passed again.

Again, I was grinning as Kanji picked up the phone after a brief pause "Hey, what's happening?"  
"Not much other than this right now, Kanji—how about yourself?" I asked.  
"Same for me—not too much other than this. That was a hell of a rap, Carlo." Kanji said. "I was about to get on your ass for making a mistake similar to mine, but I wouldn't have done what you did once you knew you had to respond, so it's even."  
"Thanks." I said with a grin.

Once I'd hung up after talking to the three of them, I went over to my dresser, picked up a silver bangle off the top of it and held it to the light. It was a little oddly shaped, but I liked it for two reasons—first, I thought it made it look novel, and second, Rise had designed and made it herself at a carving class in Okina and had given it to me for Christmas.  
I hadn't worn it since I had come home—not because I no longer loved her, but because I hadn't wanted people asking who and where I'd got it from. Now, though, I knew the time for worrying about that had long been over. With a smile that was small but warm, I put it back on my right wrist next to my yellow LiveStrong bracelet with the solemnity that I imagined a man with a wife who was presumed dead but recently rescued would put his wedding ring back on with after leaving it in the jewelry box.

The next day, MTV Japan hailed Rise's Homecoming verse as the most widely heartfelt true musical romantic confession since the Plain White T's' Tom Higgenson wrote Hey There Delilah for cross-country runner Delilah DiCrescenzo even though he knew it was unrequited love. As the week went on, the speculation heated up as more people heard our verses until seemingly everyone from passersby on the street to news announcers on national TV were asking the questions—Who was the boy in Inaba that Rise had written her verse for? Who was the girl over there that I had written my verse for?  
Both Rise and I never thought of saying a word amidst the commotion because we both didn't want to say anything until both of us wanted to spill the beans, and Tito Ryotaro (Tito is a Filipino honorific for an uncle) let me know that he'd tell anyone in Inaba who knew about us to keep quiet for the moment out of respect for our privacy. All the while, I kept writing lyrics and then practicing them at the same studio once I'd nailed down verses both in order to occupy my time and also because I felt like the studio might be a lucky place for me, as the last verse I had practiced and recorded there had helped me return Rise's feelings and also bring mine all the way back to the surface.

That Friday evening—the last Friday evening of April—I was finishing a box of some spicy Indian curry chicken with rice on the production side of my booth (you know, the side with the mixing boards and all) during a break in another session when my pollen-allergic nose, now decongested by the heat of the curry, picked up an interesting smell from an adjoining booth._  
What's that smell?_ I thought. _Don't think I've smelled that before…it smells like honey and cinnamon…_  
My nose twitched as I sniffed a couple more times and got up after tossing the empty box and plastic utensils in the trash to see where it was coming from. As I was just outside the booth, a girl's voice suddenly sang,

_I hope that you're the one  
If not, you are the prototype_

I froze, but at the same time, my heart started beating a little faster._  
Holy mother of pearl…that's Rise's voice!_ I thought frantically.  
It sounded like it had come from the booth directly to the right of mine. I peered through the window—and felt my mouth fall open.  
Rise was sitting back in a reclining chair on the production side of the booth clad in her favorite summer outfit—khaki capris, a bright orange spaghetti-strap top with some gold peacock motifs on it, matching orange sandal heels, golden stud earrings and a small gold heart pendant. She looked like she was in emotional pain, and her beautiful voice confirmed my suspicion as she sang with even more emotion than I had heard in her Homecoming verse,

_I hope that you're the one  
If not, you are the prototype_

She closed her eyes, and as she clasped her hands in her lap, I saw a tear slide down her cheek. I had gone white as if I had seen a ghost, but I managed to avoid myself from freezing completely, as I managed to knock on the door.  
No response. Normally, I'd let it sit for the sake of not being intrusive, but I knew I'd be darned if I left her at a time like this. I slowly tried to open the door and felt a shot of joy as I found it was unlocked. I stepped in and walked slowly towards her, not wanting to startle her too much and blow it.

"Rise?" I asked nervously, not wanting to frighten her. "Rise-chan?"  
I saw no response, so I dropped to one knee, slipped my right hand inside her clasped hands, and took her right hand in both of mine. She then opened her eyes and saw me, and my heart started racing even more.  
"C-Carlo?" She asked weakly, clearly thinking she was probably seeing things. "Is it really you?"  
"Yes, it's really me." I said with a smile that was equally joyful and comforting. "And I'm not leaving again."

Rise bent forward and took my face in her hands, evidently trying to make absolutely sure she wasn't dreaming. I just kept smiling.  
"Oh, my God…" It was just a whisper at first, and then it became a joyful shriek. **"Oh, my God!"**  
She dropped to her knees, threw her arms around me, and broke down completely as she had at the Inaba station, crying what seemed to be the Hudson into my shoulder. I put my other knee down so that I was on both knees as well and couldn't help but shed some tears of my own into her shoulder. It was indeed just like the last time we'd seen each other, only we were on our knees in a studio booth—and the tears were tears of joy.

"I missed you so much, Carlo-kun…" She told me.  
"I missed you so much too, Rise-chan…" I replied. I rarely use the honorific "chan", reserving it for when Rise calls me "Carlo-kun" and when I feel I really need to get her attention for whatever reason, but that was one of those times where I felt like I couldn't say anything else.  
Before I could say or think anything else, Rise had brought her lips to mine again and was leaning me back as she kissed me with even more feeling than she'd brought at the station. I felt my thighs strain from the stretching, but the soft, gentle feeling of her arms, hands and lips allowed me to disregard the pain and do my best to return it. After a minute, we came apart, and this time, she leaned back and allowed me to rest my head over her heart for a moment despite me being about half a head taller than her._**  
Now**__ I know I'm home, _I thought with a big smile on my face and my eyes closed, mouthing a prayer of thanks.  
"I've just got a new song." Rise said when I opened my eyes and looked up at her to find her looking back warmly. "Could you play the track that's loaded here already?"  
"Sure." I said, smiling back as we got to our feet. I then went over and hit the corresponding play button on the mixing board, and a relaxing guitar-laden track filled the room. Rise let it run for a bit, apparently leaving it as the intro, before she sang, this time with a smile,

_I hope that you're the one  
__If not, you are the prototype  
We'll tiptoe to the sun  
And do things I know you like__  
I think I'm in love again  
I think I'm in love again_

The last two lines, which formed a chorus, were drawn out a bit and also had a little pause in between them. When she finished, she was still smiling and also giving me a warm look after closing her eyes for a part of the segment, but my smile was wistful because those last two lines also made me feel as if I'd done her wrong.  
"Like it?" She asked. Then she saw my face, and her own face fell. "Oh, no…was it bad?"  
"No, it was great!" I said earnestly, before my voice started to betray my worry. "It's just…I really did lose your love, didn't I?"  
"Don't worry, Carlo—it's not that." She said with a reassuring smile. "It's just that whenever we meet up and have fun like this, I feel like I'm falling in love with you all over again."  
"Oh, stop it…" I said, turning red. Then, coming back to my senses, I said, "Hang on, let me get a couple of things…"

I quickly headed to my original booth to get my stuff and also a track I had been working with. When I came back, I demoed a new verse I had been working with that day, tentatively titled Reflections, which was inspired by watching Rise and the others having to face their Shadows, their darkest alter-egos.  
"Man, you've definitely got some talent as a lyricist!" Rise said as she smiled and clapped when I took off the headphones and stepped out of the recording side. "Were you joking when you said you could only freestyle once in a blue moon?"  
"Thanks." I said with a grin before adding, "That's still true, but it's really funny in a way what happened to me the past week. I realized that the experiences I had in Inaba, especially the fight against Izanami, gave me a lot of material to say the least—I learned just what it was like to take up a weapon and fight to protect my friends and family and also defend my beliefs. I think what really helped inspire me, though, was the fact that we went through all that together, because I ended up learning how empowering love is and also how tough it is to try to live after losing it."  
I took a moment and then added, "If I've learned anything from being an MC—albeit a karaoke one until recently—and a fan, it's that a rapper needs to make music that can make people laugh, cry and think, and I felt like your verse was the last straw—in a good way, because then I could make music that fit those criteria."  
"I can see that." Rise said. "I gotta say I really admire how you guys can just move a crowd like it's nothing."  
"Thanks. It's really no accident, though—after all, we still do take the literal meaning of 'MC' seriously because we strive to be masters of ceremonies." I replied.  
"It sure looks like you do." She said.  
"Thanks." I responded. My voice then turned grave as I said, "I don't feel like I'm the one without a Shadow anymore—I feel like I faced it over the past week, only I fought it lyrically and found the power to write my own stuff as a result."

My look at the end said, _I'm scared I may let you down decisively_, but Rise responded, "Don't worry, Carlo-kun. Remember what you told me—that my Shadow was a part of me but that it didn't have to rule me?" When I smiled slightly and nodded, she said, "This is the same thing, only better—it may be a part of you, but I know you're strong enough to only use it when you need it. Besides, I know you're human and that you do make mistakes."  
"Thanks a lot, Rise-chan." I replied gratefully, feeling that worry quickly dissipated.  
"Anytime." She replied. "That reminds me—there was something I wanted to ask you if I ever got back into showbiz and you started writing your own lyrics."

"What is it?" I asked.  
She responded with a smile that was sheepish but fond, "I know you probably heard about me accepting an invitation to perform at the Shiba Park Jam next Friday—I know it might sound a little crazy, but I'd like to do an all-new set…and I'd like you to be onstage with me."  
My eyes widened as she realized just what she was asking me. The Shiba Park Jam is an event that features top Japanese artists but also has a novel element about it because every artist or group that performs at it is required to have at least one song in his/her/its set that has never been performed in front of a live audience before. To put out an all-new set would be unheard of, though, as no one had done it despite it not being taboo at all.  
When Rise had been announced as one of the artists who would perform there, I had felt stricken by the weight of my suppressed feelings again because Shiba Park is in Minato and was thus essentially in my backyard, and the thought of hearing her singing from my bedroom when I didn't know how to feel about her made me even more uneasy. Now, though, here she was after we'd reunited asking me if I could not only be there to see and support her, but also help her out and take the stage alongside her. Any doubt I had that we could have a full set in a week was snuffed out by the realization that it certainly couldn't be as hard as fighting Izanami.

"Let's do it, Rise." I said with a grin. "I'd love to help give those people more than just their money's worth."  
"Oh, Carlo-kun, you really are a dear!" She said, throwing her arms around me and squeezing me quickly but tightly before pulling back and asking, "Have you eaten already? I'd definitely like to treat you tonight and catch up after we're done!"  
"I'd just had some Indian curry during a break in my own session, but I think I've still got room for some tofu." I said, and we both grinned at each other.  
After some chilling out in the studio and getting a head start on the new project and also a snack of some fried tofu with some dipping sauces outside, I almost strutted back home, smiling and mouthing a couple of lines I had come up with when we had taken a break and just fooled around.

_It's beginning to look a lot like what? Follow my every step  
Take notes on how I rep—I'm 'bout to go in depth_

Every day after I was done with both class and club activities (I had made it my business to stay as active in Tokyo as I had been in Inaba) I went to the studio. Rise's team had given her the okay to pursue having an all-new set with me ready for the Jam, and her producers had been turning out quite a few tracks for us to work with, so I found myself practicing my existing verses over those tracks and also modifying my verses or creating new ones altogether to fit Rise's. On top of that, once the songs took shape, we did shoots for quick clips that we would be using as transitions between some of the songs and also did rehearsals in larger studio spaces.  
It was definitely a challenge, but one that we handled deftly. Needless to say, our reunion was a big shot in the arm for both Rise and me, and we ended up wearing out the team with how fast we were going. On Thursday night, the night before the event, we had just finished up our booth work and had eight songs ready—pop and hip-hop were predictably the predominant influences, but we also had elements of funk, soul and rock in there too—but everyone but the two of us looked almost asleep on their feet.

"Come on, guys, cheer up!" I said. "I know it's been hard, but we've been handling our business this past week and we're in pole position to rock this thing tomorrow, so liven up a bit!"  
"Yeah, let's look alive!" Rise said, slapping a couple of the others on the back encouragingly. Turning towards me, she then said, "Hey, Carlo, I've got an idea…could you play the last track on the CD?"  
I nodded, grinned back, and said, "Coming right up!"  
I quickly pulled up and played the last track on the CD of tracks that Rise had brought in—the first eight were the tracks that would be used the next night. We couldn't tell what it was, as it was simply labeled "Track 9".  
When it hit, the way she moved was decidedly different than what I had seen before from her—it was like she was at a party in the 50s or 60s—and I soon know why: from the way the guitar and drums sounded, it was a classic rock track. The next thing I knew, she was singing with a smile on her face and her eyes closed,

_It's been a hard day's night and I've been working like a dog  
It's been a hard day's night—I should be sleeping like a log  
But when I get home to you, I find the things that you do  
Will make me feel all right_

We all livened up a bit as we laughed, whooped, and cheered Rise as she took a bow. I also was a bit red as I had realized she had been looking at me as she'd finished.  
"Nice one! I did not know you liked the Beatles, Rise!" I said with a chuckle.  
"Thanks! I like quite a bit of their earlier stuff—but A Hard Day's Night is definitely my favorite. I might be doing a cover of it in the future."  
That evening, Rise released two announcements to Tokyo radio stations—she would be doing the first-ever all-new set at the Shiba Park Jam, and she also had gained permission from her beloved boyfriend from her time in Inaba to reveal his identity at the concert. If the buzz surrounding the concert was palpable beforehand, it was almost inescapable now.

Friday dawned cloudlessly with the temperature halfway between warm and hot—perfect summer outdoor concert weather.  
I had had my short black hair trimmed earlier in the week except in the front, where I had it just long enough that I could put it up like the visor of a cap after applying gel to put it up and flatten the rest of my hair (I had decided to leave the gelling up until right before the set began.) I also picked out the outfit I would be wearing that day—including to the concert—light gray Gap cargo wind pants and a black ASIJ short-sleeved polo shirt with an undershirt underneath (which is actually my daily habit since it soaks up sweat in the summer and helps me keep warm in the winter) plus white mid-low socks and my black and gold Nike Frees.

As class let out at ASIJ, I could hear my friends excitedly talking about the event, and I found it hard to suppress my excitement and avoid giving my surprise part away.  
"You going to the Shiba Park Jam tonight?" One asked.  
"Yeah—there's going to be quite a few top artists there, including Rise, so I had this on the calendar way back!" Another said energetically.  
"You want to come with us, Carlo?" A third asked me.  
"I'm afraid I can't go with you guys—I've got some business to handle tonight." I said with a grin.  
"Oh—sorry about that." He replied. "Take it easy, all right?"  
"I will." I replied while thinking, _Of course, that doesn't mean I don't plan to go hard tonight onstage…_

The concert was less than an hour from the end of basketball practice, so I quickly showered and dressed back into the clothes I'd be wearing to the event and traveled to Shiba Park by subway. On the way, I stopped by a jewelry store to pick up my chain, which I had ordered after the reunion. It was simple but good-looking—a gold chain with a pair of matching dog tags with my name on one side of both, an American flag on the other side of one of them, a Filipino flag on the other side of another and also a pair of small diamond-studded clasps. I put it in my pocket, not wanting anyone to see me wearing it until I got to Shiba Park, and arrived there with time to spare.

The stage was large and raised with a wide building in the center with a couple of entryways with doors attached to either side and also a huge video screen covering the wall facing the crowd. Attached to it was a large mobile backstage area, which I went into in order to get ready.  
As I donned my dog tag chain, Rise came into view, and I couldn't help but whistle. She was sporting what looked like a Gothic Lolita outfit, featuring a black mid-thigh two-layered pleated skirt with orange ruffles that showed off her legs, black high-heeled platform Mary Jane pumps, a black frilled spaghetti strap tank top that showed off a cool six inches of stomach, white opera-length shiny satin fingerless sleeve gloves with sequins and beads and also a thin black ribbon worn as a choker, wrapped multiple times around her neck but not too tightly and tied in a bow.  
"How's this, Carlo? Do I look okay?" She asked, touching up her hair in a couple of places.  
"To say the least." I said fervently before asking, "Do I look good enough?"  
"Don't worry about a thing—you look sharp." She replied with a reassuring smile.

We were to be the final act of the night, so night had fallen outside by the time it was time for us to get our turn.  
Just as I finished gelling my hair, the capacity crowd was suddenly both energized and startled as a news announcer-like voice said, "We interrupt this program for a news flashback…"  
Less than two weeks after I had returned to ASIJ and the spring trimester had started, President Obama had visited the school and had spoken there as part of a tour of Japan. The first clip was a news report that picked up there, with a female reporter saying while the footage played on the screen,_  
Everyone knows that President Obama spoke at the American School, but what many don't know is that some were invited to have a chat with him in private. One of those people was Carlo Santos, the 15-year-old standout born in New York and raised partially in North Carolina who had returned to the school after spending a year at Yasogami High in Inaba due to his parents being stationed in the Philippines for a year._

The footage and audio then changed to music video-style footage of Rise performing her Homecoming verse in a street, then the footage of me performing my own Homecoming verse live at the RT…and then a shot of the two of us walking together in our Yasogami High summer uniforms and holding hands—which is even bigger in Japan than it is over in America—as the music started.  
The crowd gasped at the revelation—the boy that the 15-year-old idol who had been ripping it up on the comeback trail was singing about was not just another 15-year-old, but the Filipino-American _wunderkind_ and blossoming rapper who had responded with a verse of his own. While they were still stunned, more photos of the two of us started appearing on the screen, Rise took the stage and some backup singers also appeared before she started it off with the lines she had come up with first at our reunion:

_I hope that you're the one  
If not, you are the prototype  
We'll tiptoe to the sun  
And do things I know you like  
I think I'm in love again  
I think I'm in love again_

Screams had issued from the audience when she had started singing, and they resurfaced when the chorus came up—and rightly so, because she sounded as good as she had when she had come up with that part at our reunion, if not better. When she wasn't singing, I could see a warm smile on her face that seemed to say, _Yes, that's my boy!_  
I couldn't help but smile myself as a result as the second verse began, with the backup singers more involved:

_(Today) Today must be my lucky day  
Baby, you are the prototype  
Do something out of the ordinary, like catch a matinee  
Baby, you are the prototype  
I think I'm (I think I'm in love again)  
I think I'm in love again_

Rise said she drew inspiration for the next quartet from the last encounter we had had before she and the others went to see me off.  
I had been around town to say my goodbyes to all those that I had become very close to—Kou from the hoops team, Yumi from the drama club, Tito Ryotaro, Nanako, and finally Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, Kanji, Naoto Shirogane, and Teddie—but I had saved my visit with Rise just outside Marukyu Tofu for a reason. I closed my eyes for a second and smiled as I found I could remember it now without feeling sad:

_"Oh, Senpai! Where are you going?" Rise had asked brightly.  
"I wanted to see you, Rise." I had said, not able to hide a sad smile.  
"Senpai…no…that's like you came to say goodbye…!" Rise cried. It wasn't the tearful kind, but she was clearly suddenly distressed. "I'm not planning on letting this be the last time we meet! It does make me sad, though…"  
She paused, and then managed a smile and said, "I told you before, right? I'm returning to showbiz, starting spring."  
I nodded with a smile before she continued, "I went to voice training today to prepare myself for that. You see, I'm redebuting myself with a new album!"  
"That's great!" I said, now able to smile without sorrow._

_"Yeah…I'm writing all the lyrics myself! Well, I got a D in Composition, so they aren't exactly masterpieces…" She said, her grin a little sheepish at the end.  
"Remember what I passed on to you, though…" I said, repeating a lesson from some Tokyo hip-hop heads that I had drilled into her. "Play the game—don't let the game play you."  
"I know…and I intend to play it hard." She said with a smile. "You know…a lot of stuff's happened while I was on break. I made friends—dear friends—everyone was so nice to me…I want to express that to everyone who will listen. My deepest feelings, in my own words."  
"You know I'll have that record the day it comes out." I said, beaming at her.  
"Thanks." She replied, before exclaiming, "Ahh, I'm scared! I'm scared of putting the real me out there for everyone to see…but…I can't give in to that fear, right?"  
"No, ma'am." I said fervently, shaking my head but smiling. "You're doing the right thing and you know it."_

_She nodded and responded, "I'll work hard for all my fans out there…I'm gonna make a huge comeback! So wish me luck!"  
"Of course." I replied.  
"I'll always be myself. Whether I become popular again or not, I'll be the same person who's talking to you right now. I look back at Junes now, and I feel all those good memories of us…Maybe I'll offer to appear in a commercial for Junes. Then you'll remember all the times we had every time you see it!" She said, before her face fell again and she said as the thought came to her, "But then we'll all feel a bit lonely afterwards, huh?"  
"You know I'll miss you, so how can I say no?" I replied, my smile now wistful again.  
"I'll miss you too, Senpai…I'll see you tomorrow…I'll say goodbye, and I won't cry…" She said. She was unable to bring herself to smile now, but I could see from her eyes that she was just wishing to high heaven that I could stay._

I had hoped she'd be able to keep that last promise, but I couldn't blame her for not being able to, as I remembered I'd shed tears too and thus wouldn't have been able to keep that promise if I'd made it.  
I looked at the screen, saw that Rise did appear to be thinking back to something and had no doubt she was remembering that moment too so that she could sing the next part as well as she could. And that she did, as the next four lines rang,

_If we happen to part (If we happen to part)  
Lord knows I don't want that, but, hey…  
We can't be mad at God (No, we can't be mad at God)  
We met today for a reason—I think I'm on the right track now_

More cheers and screams sounded as the chorus came back around:

_I think I'm in love again  
I think I'm in love again  
Let's go, let's go to the movies, yeah_

"If you know what I'm talking about, go ahead and wave those hands, everyone!" She called, waving her free left hand rhythmically over her head as a guitar solo broke out during an interlude on the track. Everyone promptly started waving their hands from side to side over their heads rhythmically.  
"Oh, that's beautiful!" She said with a grin. "Now, if you've got someone beside you who you don't want to leave your side, look at him or her and let him or her know it!"  
There must have been many close couples in the audience, because I could see the camera panning over many of them either cuddling or softly kissing each other in response.  
"Oh, wow…" Rise said. Knowing she'd done her job, her smile widened and became warmer, and all of us backstage were both proud of her impact and awestruck at just how widespread it was.  
As I heard the last part come up, I kept smiling as I remembered what Rise had said when she put it together. She had told me, "When I sing this last part, it's not just because you rescued me from my Shadow at the club." It went,

_I think I'm in love again  
Boy, right now  
(I think I'm in love again)  
I wanna say…I wanna say…I wanna say "Thank you (thank you) very much (very much)  
For picking me up and bringing me back to this world!"  
(I think I'm in love again)  
I think I'm in love again_

As the track cut out and Rise finished the last line acapella with the backup, the crowd erupted with its loudest cheer of the night so far. Many were wiping away tears because they'd been so moved, and among all the noise, I could hear a girl shrieking, "Oh, my God!"_  
Oh, yeah…_I thought with a grin. _And the crazy part is that's just the first one.  


* * *

**Closing Author's Notes**  
Rise saying "I've just got a new song" is a deliberate sop to OutKast's movie __Idlewild__ (I won't say how so that I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen it.) The next chapter will feature a duet performance—I'll do what I can to have it up before I leave for Orlando.  
You know the rules—please read and review, but please don't flame me just because you're not a Rise fan._


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